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Every year, as midnight approaches on the day of Janmashtami, excitement starts increasing in temples and homes across the country. At some places, bhajans and kirtans start and at other places, preparations for the birth of Lord Krishna begin. Devotees observe fast throughout the day and wait for that special moment when Lord Krishna is believed to be born at midnight. Generally, in most festivals, worship is done in the morning or during the day, but the most special thing about Krishna Janmashtami is that its main celebration takes place at midnight. Why is this so? There is a mythological story and religious beliefs related to the birth of Lord Krishna behind this.
Lord Krishna was born in Mathura jail
Why the birth of Lord Shri Krishna is considered to be at midnight and why the birth anniversary is celebrated exactly at 12 o’clock on Janmashtami, this has also been discussed in detail on Hare Krishna TV. In a video published on 24 August 2024, speaker Premanand Vilas Das has explained the time of Krishna’s birth and the religious significance associated with it.
According to the beliefs of Hindu religion, Lord Krishna was born in Mathura to Devaki and Vasudev. He is considered the eighth incarnation of Lord Vishnu. Kansa, brother of Krishna’s mother Devaki, had come to know from a prophecy that Devaki’s eighth child would be the cause of her death. Hearing this, Kansa got scared and imprisoned Devaki and Vasudev in jail.
Kansa killed Devaki’s children one after another. When Lord Krishna was born as the eighth child of Devaki, it was midnight. It was raining heavily outside and there was darkness all around. It is believed that at the time of Krishna’s birth, the jail guards fell into deep sleep and the doors of the jail opened automatically. After this, Vasudev crossed Yamuna river with newborn Krishna and reached Gokul. There he left Krishna with Nanda and Yashoda, where he was brought up. This is the reason why there is a tradition of celebrating the birth of Lord Krishna at 12 o’clock in the night on Janmashtami.
Why is the time of midnight special?
In religious beliefs, that time of the night is called Nishith Kaal, when the night is in its middle. This time is considered to have special significance in the worship of Krishna Janmashtami. The date and time of worship of Janmashtami is decided on the basis of lunar calendar. When Ashtami Tithi falls at midnight, the birth of Lord Krishna is celebrated during this period.
During this time, special puja and aarti take place in the temples. Laddu Gopal, the child form of Lord Krishna, is bathed, dressed in new clothes and made to sit in a swing. After this, the birth of Krishna is celebrated by blowing conch shells and bells.
What does it mean to be born in darkness?
Lord Krishna’s birth at midnight is not considered to be just a matter of time. There is also a deep religious message behind this. The darkness of midnight is considered a symbol of fear, oppression and injustice of that time. Krishna’s birth amidst the atrocities of Kansa gives the message that no matter how deep the darkness is, in the end light wins.
The birth of Krishna is considered a symbol of the victory of righteousness over unrighteousness and the victory of good over evil. His birth in a place like jail also gives the message that change can begin even amidst difficulties and bondage.
Why do devotees keep fast on Janmashtami?
On the day of Janmashtami, a large number of devotees keep fast for the whole day. During this, Lord Krishna is worshipped, bhajans and mantras are chanted. After fasting and worshiping throughout the day, devotees wait for the birth of Krishna at night. As soon as midnight approaches, special pujas begin in temples.
The birth anniversary of Laddu Gopal is celebrated by making him sit in a swing. At many places, devotees sing hymns, blow conch shells and perform aarti to celebrate the birth of Krishna. Many devotees break their fast only after the birth of Krishna at midnight. In this way, the end of the fast is also linked to the time of God’s birth.
This time is not only considered a religious tradition but also a symbol of hope and victory of goodness. Krishna’s birth in the dark night gives the message to people that hope and religion can prevail even in the most difficult situations. With this belief, every year as soon as the clock strikes 12 on the night of Janmashtami, shouts of ‘Nand Ke Ghar Anand Bhayo, Jai Kanhaiya Lal Ki’ echo in the temples and devotees celebrate the birth of Lord Krishna.